Google’s first page doesn’t tell the whole story.
Across the 55 matched searches, 70.2% of brands recommended by AI weren’t in Google’s top ten for the same query.
Can independent travel brands beat the OTAs in AI search?
What 5,500 AI answers reveal about travel recommendations, the sources behind them and the opportunity for independent brands.
We investigated which travel brands appear in AI answers and how those recommendations compare with Google. Download the free report to explore the findings and what they mean for your website, SEO and Digital PR.
- 100
- travel prompts
- 5,500
- AI answers analysed
- 30,711
- citations examined
From three-time US Search Awards winners for travel SEO.
Research conducted 14–22 September 2026 across ChatGPT, Google AI Mode, Google AI Overviews, Gemini and Microsoft Copilot.
A few findings from the report.
AI recommendations don’t simply mirror Google rankings. The research examines where independent specialists feature and which sources contribute to the answers.
Your own website is a major source.
Brands’ own websites supplied 57.3% of all citations, making the information you publish an important part of the source mix.
Listicles feature prominently.
Listicles accounted for 48.1% of citations with a classified page type. The report explores their role and how to assess relevant opportunities.
Findings describe the searches and brands studied. The research measured brand mentions and citations, rather than enquiries or bookings. The PDF includes the methodology and limitations.
What does this mean for your travel brand?
Use the full report to understand the opportunity, question the easy promises and give your team a clearer starting point.
Send me the report- The opportunity for independent specialists
How their visibility compares with major agents and booking platforms across the searches studied.
- Where AI gets its information
The roles of brands’ websites, publications and listicles, and how the mix changes by question and tool.
- Which sources deserve your attention
The most-cited websites and why a high citation count alone isn’t a reason to commit your budget.
- A practical starting point
How to benchmark your visibility, investigate competitor sources and prioritise your next steps.
Meet the researcher.
Gabby Buck
Senior Data Insights Executive
Minty Digital
Gabby is the author of this research into travel brands’ visibility across five AI search tools. The report brings together the findings, their implications for travel marketers and the limitations to bear in mind.
About Minty Digital.
We’re an award-winning search agency bringing together SEO, AI Search and Digital PR to help brands get found and chosen.
We work with travel businesses to strengthen their visibility across search and the wider web, connecting technical expertise, useful content and relevant coverage.
London · Barcelona · New York
Three-time US Search Awards winners.
For our work in travel.
Our travel campaigns won Best Use of Search – Travel / Leisure (SEO) in 2023, 2025 and 2026. This research comes from a team with an award-winning track record in the sector.
Our latest win recognised our work with Dream Yacht Sales. Read the case study
Get the full picture.
Explore the findings and what they could mean for your next search brief.
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SEO, Digital PR and GEO working together to build visibility, authority and commercial impact across search and AI.
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Campaigns designed to earn the coverage, links and mentions that build authority. We connect PR activity back to search performance, so coverage works harder.
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Generative Engine Optimisation for brands that want to show up in AI answers. We help brands become visible, cited and referenced across AI-powered search.
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Search doesn't work in tidy boxes anymore. See how we combine SEO, Digital PR and GEO around one goal: making your brand the obvious choice in your market.
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